1. Technical Field.
This invention pertains generally to stringed musical instruments with frets, like guitars and banjos. More particularly, it pertains to a mechanical chord playing attachment for stringed instruments with frets. The invention enables beginners and the disabled to easily play chords on the instrument.
2. Background Art.
There have been past attempts to provide mechanical devices for fingering stringed musical instruments. One approach has been to use devices in which mechanical substitutes for fingers press individually down on individual strings in a pattern which results in notes or chords. Examples of this approach are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,094,038 (Weaver), 3,837,255 (Starns et al ), 4,030,400 (Del Castillo) and 4,926,732 (Collins et al.). A drawback to this approach is the complexity and expense of the machines built to implement it, due to the many moving parts required.
Another approach has been to use devices in which mechanical substitutes for fingers press jointly down on several selected strings at once in a pattern which results in a chord. Examples of this approach are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,851,558 (Hopkins), 4,154,134 (Schreiber) and 4,428,273 (Favron). A drawback to this approach is the lack of versatility of the machines built to implement it, due to the permanence of their attachment to the instrument required.
There is a need, then, in the stringed musical instrument business, for a simple and convenient machine for bar chording which may be employed at more than one fret location. Also, there is a need for a bar chord machine which may be easily used by beginners and the disabled. My bar chord machine is designed to meet this need.